Chrysler sees the ICE future

The three-year, $30 million Multi-fuel MultiAir R&D program with the U.S. DOE is nearing completion. Here's what Chrysler Powertrain engineers have learned as they try to achieve a 25% fuel-efficiency gain.

Chrysler's ambitious program to demonstrate a 25% combined city/highway FTP fuel-efficiency improvement in a production minivan has entered the final and most critical phase of development. With dyno testing of the advanced 2.4-L dual-fuel inline four successfully completed, the powertrain next must prove itself under real-world operating conditions.

“So far, we're very happy with this program,” Chris Cowland, Chrysler's Director of Advanced Engineering and SRT Performance, told AEI. “But now comes the biggest challenge-making the engine fully drivable in a car, while meeting Tier 2 Bin 2 emissions levels and feeling like a normal engine to the end customer. And we have to do it by April.”